Media Releases

ROCKLIFF AND GUTWEIN NEED TO TAKE CHARGE TO RESOLVE COASTAL PATHWAY IMPASSE

November 27, 2018

The creation of almost 100 full time jobs and an annual injection of $17 million into the local economy by a network of shared coastal pathways from Latrobe to Wynyard are being compromised by a failure of leadership from Tasmanian Government Ministers Rockliff and Gutwein.

Federal Member for Braddon Justine Keay said, “The impasse between Central Coast Council and Tasrail over the future management arrangements of the old Tasrail Bridge over the Forth River could easily be resolved, if Ministers Rockliff and Gutwein took charge of the state owned company Tasrail for which they are Shareholder Ministers.

“The project supports local small business, the local economy and jobs and the government needs to get off their hands and sort out this impasse as soon as possible.

“A shareholder direction from Ministers Rocklliff and Gutwein to Tasrail that it enters into a long term lease with Central Coast Council for the old rail bridge over the Forth River will resolve the issue.

“That is what Central Coast Council are looking for and ratepayers should not be burdened with additional infrastructure.

“Tasrail themselves have said the bridge will remain in service for many years.

Justine Keay said,”Federal Labor has an $8.8 million commitment to support the construction of the network of shared coastal pathways along with the Tasmanian Government who have also committed to invest in the project.

“It would be a ridiculous situation if the project does not proceed; state and federal funding are lost, because the Shareholder Ministers are too weak to stand up to Tasrail.

“The network of shared coastal pathways won’t just benefit visitors to the region, it will provide an injection into the economy and support new jobs.

“The Cradle Coast Authority has estimated the network of pathways will inject additional $17 million into the local economy every year and support 97 new full time jobs.

“Labor’s always been committed to Coastal Pathway – we started the project and this investment will help finish the project. In Government we provided $2.2 million funding for Tasmanian Pathways Infrastructure. “